‘Liberal leader Elizabeth Lee will regret conceding to Andrew Barr if the last seat in Yerrabi goes independent,’ says MICHAEL MOORE
ANDREW HUGHES sums up the key election issues, including whether the Hare-Clark system still works best for Canberra
Who’s who: all the names to the faces in the ‘Peppers’ poster KEEPING UP THE ACT
OCTOBER 24, 2024
Drama teacher Joe Woodward has been recognised by having a theatre named after him, reports HELEN MUSA
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The last seat in Yerrabi is still in doubt. Although early indications are that the LaborGreens coalition will remain in power, it is possible that the people of Canberra have chosen the first effective crossbench in the Assembly since 2004.
If the last seat in Yerrabi does go to Independent for Canberra’s candidate David Pollard, there will be a significant change in the dynamic of government in the ACT. Under such circumstances, Liberal leader Elizabeth Lee will regret conceding to Labor leader Andrew Barr.
ment to have its budget by supporting the supply bills.
With just two Greens, but three independent MLAs, the power of the crossbench will be significant. If the Greens decide to genuinely sit on the crossbench, the community can also expect more effective work on the parliamentary committees and more careful consideration of all government decisions.
Canberrans do expect stable government. This will require a commitment from Fiona Carrick, Thomas Emerson (and possibly David Pollard) with the Greens to support the Chief Minister and ministers in any no-confidence motion unless there is “reprehensible” conduct. It also demands allowing the govern-
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The rather statesman-like postelection speeches of Lee and Barr do point to the ACT Assembly working in a more co-operative manner than has been the case for many years. The Greens leader, Shane Rattenbury, also managed well considering his party lost around half of its elected members.
On first-preference votes, each of the three major parties in this election continue on a downhill trajectory. The Liberals peaked in 1995 with support from just over 40 per cent of the vote and are now at around 30 per cent. For Labor, the 2004 result was a high point with support from nearly 47 per cent of Canberrans.
Cover: Joe Woodward. Story Page 23. Photo: Peter Hislop.
If the Greens decide to genuinely sit on the crossbench, the community can also expect more effective work on the parliamentary committees and more careful consideration of all government decisions.
This time, Labor had support at around 34 per cent first-preference votes and the Canberra Liberals had 33 per cent. The Greens peaked in 2008 with nearly 16 per cent of the first preference vote and have dropped to 12.5 per cent.
In his post-election speech Rattenbury spoke of the Greens as a crossbench party. Attempts at rewriting history in this “newspeak” manner will not be successful. The Greens have been in a coalition with Labor for a considerable time. They have not been a crossbench party. No doubt, as part of their review of the election, the Greens party will consider returning to the crossbench for this Assembly.
In marked contrast, allindependent first-preference votes exceeded that of the Greens at 12.8 per cent. This is second only to the 1998 independent vote of 17.1 per cent. Carrick and Emerson are commit-
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ted to remaining on the crossbench and holding the government accountable.
The last seat in Yerrabi has been attributed to sitting Greens MLA Andrew Braddock. However, this could change during the preference count. At one point, the count will be as close as 100 votes separating the two. This is where the possibility lies of Pollard snatching this last seat from the Greens.
The consequence of the Greens losing this seat would be the LaborGreens coalition losing their majority. The outcome – a minority government that will be much more accountable.
Consider, for example, the pending report of the ACT Integrity Commission on the Campbell Primary School. There are questions to be answered. Why was this report not tabled before the election? Was there “reprehensible” conduct on the part of re-elected Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry? What action, if any, needs to be taken by the government and the Legislative Assembly?
The Liberals have announced support for a royal commission into the ACT Healthcare system that has been in decline since Labor came to power
23 years ago. If Pollard is elected or if the Greens can operate independently of the Labor Party, it is possible that a vote of the Assembly could mean the establishment of such a commission of inquiry.
Andrew Barr used his post-election speech to argue that the election results give a green light to take light rail to Woden. If the Greens retain three seats – it will proceed. However, a difference of just over 100 preference votes in Yerrabi could see this challenged in the Assembly and a requirement for a transparent case to be made public.
There remains a chance of a minority government. If it is the case, Canberrans can expect more transparency and more accountability.
Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.
Political columnist ANDREW HUGHES
net
in summing up his five key findings from the ACT election including whether the Hare-Clark system still works best for Canberra.
In what was closer than what the results for the 2024 ACT election reveal, here are my five key findings for parties, candidates and us.
1. Labor’s campaign team
Labor’s campaign team, headed by Ash van Dijk, did a great job this election. Up against a highly competitive field they kept to their slogan of progressive, practical and proven. The candidate line up wasn’t just balanced on gender, but also had somewhat based on age and experience. This means Labor can put experience into newly elected MLAs such as Caitlin Tough and Taimus Werner-Gibbings.
Importantly, Labor’s ground campaign was based around acting more like a challenger than the incumbent. This is a non-negotiable with wannabe candidates for Labor – you better be prepared to be confronted with the door knocking and street-greet experiences. It matters, though. Weaknesses? Going a bit too hard on the negative, resourcing was far from balanced across the candidate
line-up, reliance on The Greens for government, and there are concerns over voter identification in Murrum bidgee, and to a lesser extent Yerrabi. But hey, when you are no.1 this can wait for the election review.
2. The high Barr
The highest individual vote getter in the ACT? Andrew Barr. 1.3 quota by himself. Liberal Mark Parton, in Brindabella, was the only other who could get a quota in his own right. Driving into Dickson and Braddon it was inescapable that you had just entered progressive central. Four of the five candidates elected were progressive or left.
The chief minister showed on election night just how much this one had cost on the personal level though. It does for all who run, but for the longest-serving leader currently in Australian politics at state level or over, the toll was there.
The love from voters is always the real litmus test, and in Kurrajong, up against all other major leaders, he stared them down and tasted the champers on election night. It’s definitely a team effort though and his
something others could learn from.
3. The indies have arrived
They have. Tom Emerson and Fiona Carrick both deserve their spots after so much hard work this election. Independents for Canberra are only starting their journey. The team has passion, energy and, all important in politics, belief.
The next four years will be crucial though to how we see the independents as Labor would prefer to starve them of oxygen, note the pointed comments about them in his victory
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speech, through not dealing with them over the Greens. They will get the unseen committee work. They need to make their own narrative and not follow Labor’s. Time will tell if they can do this in the long political winter before the next election.
They also need to learn from Labor and get the campaigns started earlier, work on comms and have candidate selection sooner not later. It’s time to move out of the back bar and into the
4. The Forever Opposition?
It’s time for a proper review. And not the usual depose-the-leader review. Or get in a party elder who will be softer than a marshmallow. If you want to be in government then you know exactly who your benchmark is. In all ways. So exceed them on the campaign front and candidate selection.
And was there any more pointed comment on election night than how Andrew Barr openly thanked his deputy, Yvette Berry, for her service during his time as leader. Elizabeth Lee couldn’t say the same as she’s had two. Unity is opportunity in politics. Either support the leader or get out and join whoever. It’s time for some hard truths because in four years it’s 27 years. Twenty seven.
They need to stop giving gifts to Labor during campaigns, work on
policies that people want instead of telling them what they want, and stop the schoolyard neg campaigns. It’s time to ditch the leaky bucket/s.
5. The System
Real questions need to be asked about the Hare-Clark system now. We need a strong democracy. I’m a fan of 15 individual electorates, and 15 elected on proportional system. Why? How many of us know who the candidates are? And if a memorable surname is an advantage then what the?! Incumbency is a huge advantage because it does give name familiarity. And apathy is growing in the ACT. Maybe having five members per electorate hurts engagement with democracy rather than helps it. If we had local members who were accountable for our suburb and not several, would we see an even more diverse electorate? Would we see government held more accountable, and less worried that all they have to do is get 10, the Greens 3.
Election 2024 may not be remarkable for the result, but it may very well yet turn out to be so for other reasons for ACT politics.
Dr Andrew Hughes is a lecturer in marketing with the Research School of Management at ANU where he specialises in political marketing and advertising.
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By Elizabeth KOVACS
Chrissy France is one of 5900 people living with dementia in the ACT, a figure that is expected to rise to 12,300 by 2054.
Dementia is the leading cause of death for women and the second leading cause of death for all Australians.
Diagnosed at 68, 72-year-old Chrissy now lives at LDK Greenway Views after daughter Belle Hogg found their phone calls were getting strange.
“You know your parent pretty well,” says Belle.
“We are best friends and I thought ‘oh, she’s kind of forgetting things and is a little vague. What’s happening here?’ and I went up to see her.”
Arriving in Chrissy’s former home, Belle found her mother had lost lots of weight and the house had been pulled apart.
“I didn’t know what that was,” says Belle.
“No one plans to have something go wrong in their family.”
Her first phone call was to Dementia Australia, fearing the symptoms mirrored those she had heard about. There are currently more than 100 known types of dementia. Chrissy was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
keep reminding her that she’s been such a good mum and this is my gift back to her,” says Belle.
after being unable to answer questions such as “What season is it?” and “What country do you live in?”.
“I think [Alzheimer’s] tends to be summarised as ‘they forget stuff’, but actually there are no memories at all. Not even when she was younger,” Belle says.
A photographer, Belle has been preaching the importance of capturing memories well before Chrissy’s diagnosis. Now, she shares these memories with her mother.
“I do tend to try to remind other people,” she says. “Tell people you
love them. Tell them to make memories, even if they forget them one day. They’ve had them and you’ve had them.”
Belle says it was a difficult journey to learn about Alzheimer’s, but has made her appreciate the importance of celebrating moments with her mum.
Executive director of Services, Advocacy & Research at Dementia Australia Dr Kaele Stokes says Alzheimer’s accounts for 65-75 per cent of all dementias.
“Dementia actually describes the disease process of cognitive decline,”
“People often think about dementia as a disease that affects people’s memories, but that’s only one symptom of dementia. Particularly Alzheimer’s disease, it can affect lots of other aspects of your cognitive function.
“It might be that somebody has significant changes to their personality or mood, or the way they engage with
Two thirds of patients living with dementia are female. Although ongoing research is being conducted to find exactly why dementia occurs in patients, it is speculated that these statistics could be due to women’s
“While dementia is not a natural part of ageing, the risk of developing dementia does increase as we age, particularly after the age of 65 and again after the age of 85,” Dr Stokes says.
“It’s partly due to our success as a community and living longer, but that does mean that the risk of developing dementia and the prevalence of dementia increases as part of the process.”
After Chrissy’s diagnosis, Belle got involved with Dementia Australia to raise funds for research.
“You have someone that you always go and ask for advice, or talk to. That was [Chrissy], and now it’s gone,” Belle says.
“She’s raised three daughters… I’ll
keep reminding her that she’s been such a good mum and this is my gift back to her.”
Previously hosting “Cuppa Time” fundraisers for dementia, Belle is now organising an Art for Dementia show in honour of Chrissy.
“It’s been a big community effort and people have been sending me artworks to sell. It’s pretty incredible,” she says.
Art, music and dancing has always been an important part of Chrissy’s life.
“I think it’s lovely,” says Chrissy.
“People sometimes don’t know what to say, and I [sing].”
Since her diagnosis, Chrissy has fallen in love with colouring-in.
“Music will also get her to do anything,” says Belle.
“I’ll put on an ‘80s playlist on and all of a sudden, she’s starting to sing the lyrics.”
Dr Stokes says creative activities stimulate community and social engagement.
“Anything reminiscent of storytelling promotes positive emotional responses. It helps to centre the person in an activity that can give them a sense of expression that they might not otherwise have had,” she says.
Art for Dementia, LDK Greenway Views, Canberra 3pm-6pm, November 1.
Canberra architect Dean McPherson has been recognised in this year’s People in Property Awards, successfully winning the Industry Impact prize.
One of only six awardees, Dean is a director at Canberra-based, award-winning architectural and interior design practice, AMC Architecture.
Hosted by the Property Council ACT, its Executive Director Ashlee Berry said the awards were an important opportunity to shine a spotlight on the people behind the projects.
“Every day, our members contribute to the incredible development of the ACT, but too often, we reward the project itself without recognising the individuals who make it all possible,” she said. “These awards are our way of celebrating the talent, passion, and commitment of those who are creating our future.”
The AMC Architecture team, which has contributed to the ACT community and local property industry for more than 24 years, was delighted with Dean’s Industry Impact Award, which recognised his contributions to Canberra’s property industry through his various roles with the Property Council, Australian Institute of Architects, University of Canberra and other industry bodies throughout his career.
AMC Architecture’s Directors noted that this year’s awards were particularly significant given many of Dean’s fellow award winners are industry leaders with whom AMC is currently partnering to deliver positive outcomes for Canberra to support a prosperous, liveable and sustainable city.
AMC is actively involved with the PCA, Australian Institute of Architects and Master Builders ACT providing input into local policy, planning instruments and initiatives that shape the future of our city.
“Our practice has a long history of supporting the University of Canberra School of Design and the Built Environment, including engagement with the next generation of design professionals through our involvement in design juries and studios and our sponsorship of a tailored scholarship for students relocating to Canberra from regional areas to study architecture or interior design,” the Directors said.
“We regularly partner with not-for-profit and community organisations to support the realisation of important initiatives that support vulnerable members of our community.”
The Directors stated that AMC is currently delivering infrastructure, affordable housing, community facilities and commercial projects that are critical to supporting Canberra’s growing population and local economy, including the following:
• Affordable and community housing
• New emergency services stations
• Electrification and base building upgrades
• New local centres
• Community facilities
• Health facilities
• Commercial precincts
• Retirement living and aged care developments.
I was very conscious over the last few weeks of the deep and interested engagement of the Canberra community in the election campaign for the ACT Legislative Assembly.
My sense, as someone who has been closely involved for some decades in ACT elections, was of a far greater than usual level of engagement and interest in the campaign. Which is, of course, a sign of a healthy democracy and is a good thing.
Interestingly, and by a strange coincidence, I have also over the last few months had regular contact with friends on both Christmas and Norfolk Island, bewailing the contemptuous disinterest and disregard which the Australian government and Australians generally have for their rights or rather the fact that they have virtually no rights at all.
It is now more than 10 years since the Labor and Greens parties in the federal parliament united, out of sheer laziness and disinterest, with the Liberal Party to abolish selfgovernment on Norfolk Island.
Ten long years in which a proud Australian community with a unique history and heritage has been denied a meaningful say in the governance or management of its community and their lives.
Norfolk Island was unceremoniously plonked into the ACT for federal electoral purposes. It seems, therefore, reasonable to me that we Canberrans step up in support of our Pacific Island fellow constituents.
The anger and frustration of Norfolk Island residents at the patent disregard that not only the Albanese government but Australians generally have for them and their rights is starkly reflected in a letter from a highly esteemed Pitcairn family elder, Mary Christian-Bailey, which was recently published in a local newspaper.
Mary was responding to the following allegations published on the island by the Commonwealth-appointed administrator Michael Colreavy.
“Although there are Commonwealth and Queensland Government representatives on the Norfolk Island Governance Committee, half of its members are community elected representatives,” he writes.
“This is problematic when notions of democracy on Norfolk Island allow for the representative governance framework through familial heredity.
“The best interests of Norfolk Island’s community are hindered by a vocal minority that want to dominate the island’s political system
with decision making that benefits individual interests above those of the broader community. Fear of reprisal prevents the silent majority speaking up against that.”
This is what Mary had to say in response: “These statements are racist, libellous and outrageously untrue.
“They ignore the fact that no resident or citizen on Norfolk Island has had any voice at all for some years, apart from a meaningless vote in some distant electorate in Canberra.
“We have not even had the luxury of any political system of governance in which we have had the slightest input, let alone decision-making power.
“They need to acknowledge that this community has put up with taxation without representation for a long period.
“They forget that this community had legislated a democratic and free vote, including women, back in 1838 when Australia was little more than a group of penal colonies.
“I challenge the administrator,
Mr Colreavy, to provide a snippet of evidence that voting on Norfolk has ever been anything but fair, equal and transparent. I also challenge him to substantiate his thinly veiled suggestion that individuals have corruptly pursued vested interests.
“As someone who has lived here for 58 years but lost their right to participate in local electoral affairs on Norfolk Island many years ago (a right that was removed by the Australian government) I am deeply saddened and angry by what continues to be perpetuated.”
As noted above, Norfolk Island was unceremoniously plonked into the ACT for federal electoral purposes. It seems, therefore, reasonable to me that we Canberrans step up in support of our Pacific Island fellow constituents.
We could start by demanding of our federal representatives that they exhibit the same passion for the “Territory Rights” of Norfolk Islanders as we have recently demanded and achieved for ourselves. To do anything less can rightly be seen as rank hypocrisy.
An issue that my friends and colleagues on Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are grappling
with are the implications for both the residents of the territories and the local environment of recently announced plans by the Commonwealth to significantly expand the defence infrastructure in each of the territories.
It is understood that the Australian Defence Force has commenced development of a Forward Operating Base on Cocos Island for its Airborne Intelligence Electronic Warfare Project and there have been reports that it is also considering conducting missile firing from Christmas Island to test the army’s ability to deploy long-range missiles.
As reasonable as these plans may seem it is relevant, I think, to acknowledge that along with the residents of Norfolk Island, the inhabitants of Christmas and the Cocos Islands are denied basic democratic rights that would surely colour a decision by the armed forces to roll up and (say) deploy a battery of intercontinental missiles over your back fence.
Jon Stanhope was ACT chief minister from 2001 to 2011.
‘You probably won’t be able to come to us with a non-criminal matter that one of us hasn’t gone through already’
There’s
Initially pursuing a career in science, Daryn Griffiths’ introduction into law was almost entirely coincidental.
“I actually started off in science, and I worked in a small-medium sized enterprise for 20 years. It just so happened that I ended up being the lawyer for the firm,” he says.
From there, Daryn went back to school to study law and accounting. He says his different start has been a great asset to his current work at Capon & Hubert Lawyers & Mediators.
“Because I was in a small business myself, we were part of the management team, so we saw the day-to-day dealing with supply chains, leases and building expansions,” he says.
His experience before entering law, Daryn says, has been a “monumental help” in his ability to assist the public.
“I’ve been where these [clients] have been,” he says.
“[The team are] all in our 50s and 60s… This gives us life experience as well as legal experience.
“One of the primary advantages of Capon & Hubert is that experience. It’s compassion through previous life and legal experience. You probably won’t be able to
Daryn spent his teenage years in Canberra, eventually drifting back home with his family to settle down.
“I chose Canberra to practise law and to
Hubert
from the bush, two hours from the snow and two hours from the coast. It’s fantastic.
“I enjoyed growing up here, my kids have enjoyed that as well.”
Canberra’s ideal destination isn’t the only reason he chose to practise law here, preferring the cosiness and personalised approach he can take with his clients.
“I like the fact that it’s not as big or as busy as Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane,”
“We’ve got the advantages of working in a small legal firm. I think it’s the small ones that do the most decent work, but it’s also the work that I enjoy.
“I like working in boutique law firms.I particularly like being in a collegiate environment.”
Daryn says working in Canberra is similar to working at Capon & Hubert, preferring the community approach to law.
“We’ve got a small number of lawyers and specialists in each area and we’re constantly in each other’s offices,” he says.
“I can go and talk to [Ken Hubert] about matters and he’s in my office all the time asking me questions.
“We can cross-pollinate and have a meeting of the minds while still having our own areas of speciality and responsibility.”
Daryn says it’s this sense of family and cohesion that makes Capon & Hubert so enjoyable to work with.
“We all go down and have a coffee every Thursday morning and talk for half an hour or so about what legal issues we are currently facing.”
More often than not, Daryn says, someone might have a solution or new way to look at a problem.
A close connection between clientele and staff isn’t just important, Daryn says, it’s critical.
Situated in Phillip, the heart of the southside community, Daryn says it’s important that the firm’s location is accessible and easy to find.
“I don’t always keep nine-to-five hours. If clients need me at eight o’clock at night, I’m here. A lot of them have their own shows to run, so they often come and see me at six or seven o’clock. I do the vast majority of my work after hours, because that’s when they can get here,” he says.
“You can’t do that in a mall.”
Lawyer by day and cub scout leader by night, Daryn says the cub scout motto HOP (Help Other People) bleeds into his professional life.
“I know that’s where satisfaction and happiness comes from,” he says. “By helping others.”
“The ability to look after these folks who are out there on the cutting edge, is a joy.
“We are there to catch them when they fall.”
Capon & Hubert Lawyers & Mediators, first floor 32-38 Townshend Street, Phillip. Call 6152 9203 or visit chsol.com.au
Guf was a gloriously different kid in that ‘70s paradise of my own making, all sepia, self delusion, water coloured in the gentle hogwash of my self-serving memory.
Wonderfully messy, his clothes looked ancient an hour after he put them on. He was the smallish untidy kid inexplicably good at footy, till you realised it was because no one wanted to tackle him for fear of contracting something bubonic.
His hair was 40 per cent lice and kero, and his first set of dentition back in kindy resembled the kind of sharktooth necklace he took to wearing a decade later, in the long, drawn out, surf-hazed end of high school.
But back here in ’73 he was, and no amount of natural oily mess could stop him smiling at the world. I remember asking why it didn’t bother him that one particular nun was so frankly cruel to him. She wasn’t so nice to me, but I could do my seven times table and wore vaguely matching Bata Scouts so it wasn’t awful. Well, he said. It was like this. He said a cheery good morning to her every day and she would shoot a snarl back and tell him he was hopeless at Enid Blyton and other matters of Extreme Importance. It never got him down. He moved town eventually, out of
“She would shoot a snarl back and tell him he was hopeless at Enid Blyton and other matters of Extreme Importance.”
my reality and into the strange half land of my myth and memory, but I remember clearly how he kept at it. The friendly smile, the genuine warmth. Why did he waste time and effort on someone who so disliked him? A dry and unfortunate person who was so bitter and mean to everybody?
Maybe I should park it there briefly and think about how phenomenally dumb I was in the same situation. A few years ago someone I interact with at times took a powerful dislike to me.
For years, I was very upset, especially because there were mutual professional relationships. I tried plenty to fix it, with no luck. Some sad things happened, and I even gave up
something that was precious to me. Still no luck.
Thankfully, it has worked out really well, without any of the ineffective strategies I had previously employed. I’m using the power of Guf, and it works a treat.
Back in ’73, this boy who could reliably force the town dentist Dr Ulrick to lock his door and hide under the desk with the cooking sherry, who couldn’t tell a verb from a vegemite sandwich, who was belittled by a person in power daily, knew the secret, no doubt from wise parents and a sweet nature. He smiled and said good morning, he was friendly and generous.
The important thing is that you just have to be you, try to see their point of view, be the best person you can be, and be courteous to them and be kind to yourself.
And he had not the slightest interest in those actions making Sister Terrifying like him. No, he wasn’t interested in what she thought of him, he was trying to do right by himself – to be the best person he could be. When she shouted at him and called him the sorts of things teachers would be ashamed of today, he expected nothing different from her, but held himself to a far higher standard – and one that ensured his own happiness far more efficiently than my failed efforts years later.
So what do I do now? I try to be friendly and generous and have no expectation that the other person will change. And try to make sure my actions are good.
My buddy Kez says that if 700 people in your phone address book like you and one person doesn’t then
perhaps it’s not you. She’s being kind, but she’s also right.
The important thing is that you just have to be you, try to see their point of view, be the best person you can be, and be courteous to them and be kind to yourself. One person being this way towards you may just reflect on their own circumstances, troubles and character, and you are simply the unfortunate lightning rod for their rage.
You don’t have to turn the other cheek to bullies. In fact, we need to call it out if we are to be good allies to those that really need us – our indigenous and diverse and LGBTIQA+ siblings.
But you can harness a friendly and gracious response to the passive aggression of that person. If nothing else, you’ll be satisfied in knowing that your serenity is the last thing their inexplicable hostility is seeking, and the thing you most need.
Antonio Di Dio is a local GP, medical leader and nerd. There is more of his Kindness on citynews.com.au
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I turned off the seven o’clock news in disgust during the headlines. Finally, I’d had enough.
Since I spend my days at the com puter, any breaking news arrives via the daily and weekly CityNews supple mented occasionally by the digital New York Times.
The weekend intake is a different matter – it features the sheer joy of the ABC’s Landline, and especially the New Scientist magazine. They do what the other news outlets singley fail to do – they tell, respectively, the story of Australian ingenuity, and our exciting human progress.
I will return to their virtues shortly, but that’s not the main reason for my rejection of the traditional ABC television news. The sad truth is that the national broadcaster is caught in a paradox of its own making.
Like other TV news programs, its producers are obsessed with the vile, the criminal and the foolish things men do, but they censor themselves in their reportage and thereby “normalise” such behaviour.
This is blindingly obvious in their coverage of the wars that begin every bulletin.
In Gaza, for example, some 40,000 people, including at least 12,000 children, have been torn to pieces or buried alive by the bombs supplied by America and deployed by Israel. Yet our TV reports
only ever show the surrounds of a fuzzed-out “casualty” or a reassembled one in a neat package of white sheets ready for burial.
The anonymous perpetrators are never shown in their aircraft taking aim and releasing the deadly bombs or missiles. They are not even called the Israelis. Instead, it’s the anodyne “IDF” with a neat, uniformed spokesman explaining that the enemy – a “terrorist” so-designated by our own government – was hiding beneath the hospital or school or apartment block they demolished.
It’s not that I want to revel in the horror pictures of death and destruction. On the contrary, I abhor the entire, execrable activity. But for that very reason, neither do I want war – the
Like other TV news programs, its producers are obsessed with the vile, the criminal and the foolish things men do, but they censor themselves in their reportage and thereby ‘normalise’ such behaviour.
ultimate human obscenity – to be airbrushed by the censors.
The reason is simple. If we were exposed to the reality, the vile mass murder of children in all its bloody horror, we would rise as one and demand it immediately ceases.
fast cereal of such nutritional value (and good taste) that dieticians report great results from Australia’s aged care residents. And finally, a French and Australian couple are joyously raising their two little girls on a 215,000-hectare conservation property on the Queensland edge of the Simpson Desert.
A free budgeting and money management course will be held over two Saturday mornings aimed at helping participants develop skills to manage debt, budget and save. The CAP Money Course, at the Tuggeranong Baptist Church, Garratt Street, Wanniassa, will be held between 9.15am and 12.45pm on November 2 and 9. Register at capmoney.org.au or email capmoney@tbcchurch. com.au or ring Robert on 0402 007551.
However, turn the coin, and in wonderful contrast, the latest Landline features great stories beginning with the explosion of new brussel sprouts varieties grown in South Australia. They are changing our vegetable diet across the country.
Then comes the revival of the vast native oyster colony in the waters of Eyre Peninsula after its destruction over a century from 1840. That’s followed by the transformation of the lupin flower crop of northern Victoria into a break-
The current New Scientist discovers multitudes of both benign and threatening microbes in the human brain. It carries an Australian peer-reviewed analysis revealing that the Wuhan market of wild animals really did cause the COVID-19 epidemic (so much for Scomo’s racist fantasies and the millions lost in the barley, wine and lobster exports to China).
But my favourite is the interview with British Astrophysicist Jo Dunkley who has not only explored the milliseconds after the Big Bang, she is also headed to the imminent opening of the Simons Observatory in Chile. And with a little luck, that will lead to a vision of what went before!
Puts the seven o’clock news in its place, doesn’t it?
robert@robert macklin.com
The Health Care Consumers’ Association has a free, two-day, online course on health advocacy for yourself and loved ones, and how to become a consumer representative on a health service committee. It’s online via Zoom, midday-2pm, November 11 and 18. Register on Humanitix or via email at reps@hcca.org. au or call 6230 7800.
Recreating the iconic cover of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in 2024 is not the doddle you might think.
Sure, we have the internet now. I didn’t have to do what the Beatles’ roadie had to do back in 1966 and scour bookshops for the necessary pictures.
We also have Photoshop, so I didn’t have to spend hours in a darkroom. But what I did have to do, that the Beatles didn’t, was think.
Back in 1966, when husband-andwife team, Peter Blake and Jann Howarth, were approached to do the Peppers cover, they asked the Beatles who they wanted in the crowd. Paul quickly jotted down a list of names. George added to it with six obscure Indian mystics. John, being John, suggested Hitler and Jesus. Ringo, being Ringo, just said, “whatever the others say is fine by me”, but then decided he wanted his garden gnome included.
Jann Howarth has long spoken about her disappointment that, “the Beatles picked no African-American musicians, despite owing a debt to them.” The Beatles also chose no women, so Jann snuck in 12 women to make the picture less blokey. However, she would later rue that, “half of the women were fictional, and
So, you see, doing Peppers again today, one must be mindful of inclusion. While the Beatles had 71 figures on their cover, my cover has 189. Even so, I know I’ve probably left some significant people out. That’s why I included three blank heads to the right of the picture. Feel free to cut and paste your own heads into them, you, the forgotten people.
But boy did I learn a lot. Firstly, for a place generally known as a byword for boredom, we are actually a pretty exciting bunch. We have passions and we pursue them. But when the
spotlight turns on us, and we are asked where the hell we came from, we nervously look to our feet and try and change the subject.
Like Mick Molloy (number 36), born and bred in Canberra before moving to Melbourne in his teens, Mick doesn’t talk at all about his Canberra roots. It’s as if that revelation would no longer make him an authentic Aussie. It’s a common trait. Canberrans who find national or global success are often ashamed of the fact that they came from Canberra. They’d rather talk about how they did it
tough in a sharehouse in Sydney or how their first car was a clapped-out Datsun 180B. Nothing is more ignoble, than telling people you grew up middle-class in Canberra. But back here in Canberra, we know who you are, you cringers. Start a conversation with any Canberran and before long you are going to hear, “yeah, my sister’s brother-in-law was Mick Molloy’s next-door neighbour.”
So, in the spirit of Canberra gossip, here are a few things I discovered about our fellow ACTivists.
Did you know Canberra gave birth to Emily Scott (61), a woman voted “the world’s sexiest DJ”, who is in constant demand by nightclubs around the world? In Sweden, they even wrote a song about her.
Then there’s Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ front man, Flea (21), who spent three years going to school in Canberra, while his dad still lives down the coast in Congo.
Or, did you know that in Valerie Parv (46), we had one of the world’s most successful romance writers, with more than 34 million sales of her Mills and Boons books.
We all know Jackie Chan (38) spent time in Canberra, but less well
known is that he got his name here too, because calling him Chan Kongsang was seemingly too hard.
And speaking of names, the worldwide brand mascot of Linux, Tux (189) the penguin, came about after Finnish creator, Linus Torvalds, was bitten by an aggressive fairy penguin at Canberra Zoo.
Then there’s Alicia Malone (45) who grew up in Canberra and is now the US host of Turner Classic Movies, as well as, perhaps, the leading feminist historian on film, with three internationally best-selling books.
Or, more parochially, did you know that former ACT Labor Treasurer Ted Quinlan (128) became a cartoonist after leaving politics or that former Liberal Chief Minister Gary Humphries (149) went on to act in a local production of Mel Brooks’ The Producers?
Then there’s… sigh… As you can see, the fonts are running out and I, regrettably, have to bring this column to a close. But I’ve given you the names now, so go do your own digging. You might even uncover the giant pyramids buried beneath Commonwealth Park (182) Say what, now?!
To find out more stories about local legends, with music, scan this QR code.
“Adventure should be 80 per cent
‘I think this is manageable’, but it’s good to have that last 20 per cent where you’re right outside your comfort zone. Still safe, but outside your comfort zone,” says adventurer Bear Grylls, pictured.
Not all camping experiences need to be outside your comfort zone with industry professionals organising everything from towing a caravan safely, to solar-powering the camp site and enjoying outdoor heating.
Advertisers in this feature will be exhibiting at the Caravan Camping Lifestyle Expo at Exhibition Park, October 25-27. They are businesses who are ready to get the community outside, on the road and enjoying themselves by taking the stress out of planning a camping trip.
One major caravan chain lists six reasons why camping is good for the body and soul: It’s good for problem solving abilities, enhances children’s education, assists sleeping, increases
vitamin D intake, encourages increased exercise and makes you all around happier.
With winter in the rearview mirror, Canberra locals are now set to hit the dirt ahead of peak camping season.
“Eighty per cent of people are towing over their vehicle’s capacity,” says co-owner of Capital Vehicle Weighing Rowena Hand.
Rowena says they offer customers detailed feedback on how heavy their caravans are and how much weight the vehicles towing it can take.
Rowena says 80 per cent of the vehicles they see are over-towing their loads.
With husband Brett, they have been running the business for three years.
“We commonly see a poor understanding of weight and brake capacity,” says Rowena.
“Particularly in newer caravan drivers, we see a lack of understanding about brake compliance.
“Our services usually take an hour and we use specialised equipment to give our clients a detailed vehicle assessment.
“We can usually help 50 per cent of vehicles to redistribute their weight on the day.”
Rowena and Brett are both keen caravaners themselves.
“We love talking to the caravaners about their experiences,” says Rowena.
“We can share our expertise and give them little tips and tricks, and they give some back!”
“The demand for vehicle weight compliance is growing with increasing interest in caravaning,” she says.
“Families are embracing the opportunity to travel with young children.
“It’s important that they are complying with vehicle standards to ensure they have a safe trip.”
Capital Vehicle Weighing Canberra. Call 0458 535834 or visit capitalvehicleweighing.com.au
• Understand your weights – be legal on the road & keep everyone safe
• Learn how to pack your caravan
• Local expert professional weighing technicians
• Detailed report & free educational resources
• Consulatation services to assist with determining the right tow vehicle or caravan for your needs
• Follow up support & assistance
Aussie Heatwave Fireplaces were the first to introduce Australians to the joy of outdoor fireplaces with ceramic Mexican chimineas over 20 years ago, says co-owner Liz Fenton.
Husband-and-wife team, Andrew and Liz have built their business on ceramic Chimineas. They have since developed and manufactured an Aussie Heatwave Chiminea.
“Our chimineas are made in rural Victoria from the best quality cast iron,” says Liz.
“The Aussie Heatwave is a premium-quality, single piece casting with no joins, welds, moving parts or air vents.”
According to Andrew, the key to a quality outdoor fire comes down to its make.
“The real benefits are that they radiate much more heat over a wider area, are virtually indestructible
and will last a lifetime and beyond. They are totally pyromaniac proof,” he says.
“They look visually stunning in any outdoor setting and are the only chiminea that’s designed for safe use on timber decks. The quality is unsurpassed.”
Liz and Andrew have been in the business since 1999 and say they are proud to have developed a product that will last generations.
“We love wood-fired cooking and heating. There’s nothing better than the cosy, relaxing atmosphere of a fire and the social interaction that it creates,” says Liz.
“It’s a product that brings instant gratification and happiness. It’s easing back to basics in our fast-paced, high-tech world.”
Aussie Heatwave Chiminea. Call 1800 331336 or visit aussieheatwave.com.au
helps camper’s with the best set up
“We are focused on delivering easy-use solutions to the community without overselling or overcomplicating their set-up,” says JT Electrical Group owner Jarrod Twig.
With seven years of experience, Jarrod has been fitting vehicles and camping utilities with off-grid batteries and solar panels.
Jarrod says his team takes pride in their work, making sure not to rush things.
“No problem is too big or small,” he says.
Jarrod accidentally fell into electrical fittings after doing up his own car for a camping kit out. Word quickly spread, with Jarrod saying he was working almost full time on the weekends to keep up with friends and family demands to replicate his work.
Earning his qualifications, Jarrod set up his own company five years ago.
“I’m very lucky to have found something that I love doing,” he says.
“Not many people can say that.”
Jarrod’s team specialises in working on trucks, cars, campers, boats and more, priding themselves on working with leading industry partners. Product quality is something that Jarrod says cannot be compromised on.
“We only use products from brands and companies that we know, trust and have used before,” he says.
“We are always striving to be reliable and make things easier for our customers to use.”
JT Electrical Group NSW. Call 0413 441 427 or visit jtelectricalgroupnsw.com.au
A winning team always helps to make a business thrive. No matter what the profession, there are many successful businesses in Canberra that bring the expertise of skilled and passionate people together to deliver for customers and clients. In this feature, CityNews spoke with businesses that pride themselves on the professional environments their team creates.
“We give the public a sense of security,” says managing director of Independent Plumbing & Gas Fitting, Terry McEwen.
“We’re willing to do the extra job.
“Our team gets up and they’ll go from early morning to late night to help people out.”
More commonly known to the community as IPG, Terry has been managing the company since 2016.
Initially starting as a plumber in 2007, Terry says the best part of his job is knowing his work is helping people.
“Taking on new projects is fulfilling,” he says.
“Helping people is a fulfilling job.”
Terry’s work has been recognised, winning Local Plumber of the Year at the Master Plumb ers of ACT 2022 awards.
Since this award, Terry has been giving back to the community by sharing his expertise in plumbing.
He says it’s important to support small and local businesses.
“People are trying to utilise companies looking after the Canberra economy,” he says.
“Local businesses give people security because they know us.
“We get people saying, ‘oh, I see your car around and want to use you’.”
run, Terry says plumbing is a constant learning process and is something he and his team are always striving to evolve with.
Independent Plumbing and Gas Fitting, Unit 3/157 Gladstone Street, Fyshwick. Call 0429 844131 or visit ipgcanberra.com.au
Proudly family-owned since 1986, Discount Glass is the longest established glazing business in Belconnen, providing Canberrans all their responsive and planned glass needs, says co-owner Olivia Rogan.
Discount Glass also instals quality pet doors, which allow easy access in and out of the home for cats or dogs without compromising the home’s security.
Pet ownership has surged since the covid pandemic, and with Canberra’s cat-containment laws, Olivia says this is a particularly popular service and that each pet door they install is unique to the needs of the pet and the layout of the home.
“Glass can make a big difference to the house in many ways people might not at first think,” says Olivia.
“We install glass that helps with comfort, safety, practicality and decorative purposes.”
Winning the 2023 and 2024 Best Window Installation in Belconnen for the Quality Business Awards, Olivia says it’s their close-knit team environment that makes for an inviting and innovative solution for glass installation.
“Our team is like a little family in voice is heard, both internally and externally.”
“We’ve withstood the test of time and make sure we constantly strive to do our best.”
Discount Glass, 4 Purdue Street, Belconnen. Call 6253 1099 or visit discountglass.com.au
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•
Established in 2000, Independent Plumbing and Gas Fitting (IPG) has become a trusted name in the Canberra region, providing high-quality plumbing solutions across residential, commercial, and civil sectors.
Known for our commitment to reliable, honest, and top-tier service, we pride ourselves on a highly skilled, award-winning team of local tradespeople and administrators who bring a wealth of specialist trade knowledge, experience, and leadership to every project.
Our reputation is built on long-term partnerships with local businesses, government departments, major insurance organisations, real estate agencies, and private clients. These enduring
relationships speak to our unwavering commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.
As proud members of the Master Plumbers Association (MPA), we have access to a network of key professionals across industries—investors, accountants, lawyers, and fellow plumbing businesses—that help us stay at the forefront of best practices. This membership also allows us to carry the prestigious MPA logo on all our contracts and vehicles, signalling to clients that IPG stands for quality, credibility, and reliability. With the added security of the MPA consumer guarantee—up to $15,000—our clients can trust that our work is always backed with peace of mind.
For those seeking a reliable plumbing partner, IPG’s status as an MPA member can be easily verified through the Master Plumbers Association website.
This year, we’re honoured to be finalists in the Canberra Local Business Awards in the Services and Trade category. After navigating the challenges of recent years, this recognition is deeply appreciated. We remain dedicated to serving our loyal clients and supporting our local suppliers, charities, and community with the same level of excellence that has defined us for over two decades.
Thank you, Canberra, for continuing to trust IPG as your local, dependable plumbing team.
parlour owner, Gabrielle Riley.
Owned and operated since 2019, Gabrielle has received awards as both a business and a business owner for Canberra Ink.
Named the Local Business award in 2023 (and a finalist in 2024), Gabrielle says it’s her team’s dedication to the community that makes Canberra Ink stand out from the crowd.
“We’re not in it for the money,” says Gabrielle.
“We are in it for the art and the clients. We are all locals trying to give back to the community.
“We pride ourselves on supporting the local economy and do lots of charity work within the community.”
Gabrielle credits the awards to her artists and the environment they’ve created.
“We are an equal opportunity workplace and are always teaching and learning.
“We are a family and our artists are committed to the clients.”
Creating a friendly environment for both staff and clientele alike was paramount for Gabrielle.
“We know our clients have kids, so we’ve created a family friendly space where they can colour in and do activities.
“We also ensure that our artists are working family friendly hours.
“It’s all about seeing my team thrive as both artists and individuals,” says Gabrielle, who also offers work experience for budding artists.
Canberra Ink, 2/68 Emu Bank, Belconnen. Call 0455 899766 or visit canberraink.com.au
“Fresh air, exercise and puppies… What’s not to love?” says Leah Bach, doggy daycare manager at ACT Barks and Recreation Doggy Daycare.
“We have put together a strong, diverse team that brings together a range of backgrounds and experiences working with dogs,” says Leah.
The key to ensuring dogs are happy, healthy and walking away with new skills is small group play, says Leah.
Manager Leah Bach helping some of their furry clientele.
“We are the only dog daycare that has Fear Free qualified staff,” she says.
“We have purposefully designed our space, our program and the way we work with the dogs to create a calm and happy experience.
“As a result we have had great success with dogs that experience some anxiety or have found other daycares too overwhelming.”
Finalists in the 2023 and 2024 Local Business Awards, Leah says she’s always looking for ways to give back to the community.
“So far, we’ve donated to several local organisations as well as donating goods to ACT Pet Crisis Support, Rainbow Paws, Canberra Pet Rescue, Wombat Rescue, and RSPCA,” she says.
Leah is also the proud host of the Dog Toy Library, an initiative encouraging people to hire jackets, toys and medical cones, to reduce the cost of items dogs may not use for long, further reducing landfill waste.
Established in March 2023, ACT Barks and Recreation Doggy Daycare has grown from offering three days a week to five.
141 Canberra Ave, Fyshwick. Call 0414 364194 or visit actbarksandrec.com
Large range of native plants
With a dedicated team of knowledgeable staff, Karen says they’re happy to talk to customers and help them with any queries.
“Native plants are drought hardy and the choice is getting bigger every year with the increase of good wholesale growers,” she says.
“We specialise in local species as well as hardy and cold tolerant natives, and carry a large range of native plant varieties, ranging in size from tubestock to a growing range of advanced stock.
“Shoppers can find groundcovers, grasses, ferns, climbers and small-to-large shrubs and trees such as acacia, banksia, crowea, daisies, ferns and grevillea.”
Cool Country Natives also stocks and propagates a range of species local to the Canberra region.
“Our growth from humble beginnings has been steady and reliable and assures us of the popularity of native plants in our area,” says Karen
“Ask us to try and source that hard to find plant.”
Cool Country Natives, 5A Beltana Road, Pialligo. Call 6257 6666, email retail@coolcountrynatives.com.au or visit coolcountrynatives.com.au
We specialise in local native plant varieties: • Hardy, cold and frost tolerant natives
• A large range of advanced stock • Tubestock to advanced
Let our expert staff show you a range of plants suitable for your garden soil type, to grow and enjoy an abundance of Australian native plants.
Come out today and see us at Pialligo!
Phone: 02 6257 6666 5A Beltana Road, Pialligo, ACT www.coolcountrynatives.com.au
“I love the fact that we are there to make a difference,” says Capital Road Safety Education CEO Steve Lake.
Steve heads a team of five highly trained driving instructors and 10 professional activity facilitators catering to a wide audience, ensuring their drivers feel comfortable and ready to hit the road.
Operating in two locations across Canberra, Steve says they offer a variety of courses to suit all levels of driving expertise from L-platers to experienced drivers.
Steve says the company has trained more than 100,000 drivers to feel safe, controlled and responsible on Australian roads.
“It’s a critical role,” he says.
“We are making young people feel safe when driving, which encourages them to be responsible road users.”
Steve, who has been in the industry for 24 years, says nervousness in new drivers is a common occurrence.
“Lots of young people get nervous,” he says.
“But we encourage them to come to us so that we can help ease their nerves.”
Steve says they provide programs through schools, even offering young people the opportunity to get behind the wheel in a controlled environment on a practice track.
Bookings can be made on their website, with Steve advising to book slots two weeks in advance.
“We have lots of knowledge about road safety and are excited to share it with the community,” he says.
Capital Road Safety Education. Call 6147 6296, or visit capitalroadsafetyeducation.com.au
The practice has a team of dentists skilled in the latest, high-end treatments and cosmetic dentistry, such as veneers, as well as general dentistry and links to allied health practitioners to assist with related treatments and therapies.
“Our team takes a holistic view, which allows us to consider the whole person, not just their teeth and mouths,” she says.
“This means we consider a whole range of factors
man kindness, Integrated Dental Canberra has a broad menu of “comfort” options, including warm pillows, weighted blankets, noise-cancelling headphones, a full range of pain management options, a range of relaxation therapies and alliances with allied health practitioners.
Integrated Dental Canberra, 5/16 Moore St Canberra. Call 6249 8551 or visit integrateddentalcanberra.au
By Jackie WARBURTON
A bee we don’t see often is the leaf cutting bee. It’s around only for a few weeks early in summer and the unusual circular cutting in a leaf is very distinct, so we know when they’re here.
Leaf-cutter bees are solitary and use the cuttings to make nests in holes in trunks and the ground. They do no harm to the plants and are good pollinators to summer vegetables as well.
Some of the more common bees are cuckoo bees, blue banded bees or carpenter bees.
attract them to the garden, plant lots of native plants such as native peas, daisies or banksias.
Native bees also love exotic plants such as salvias and lavender, and all bees are attracted to blue flowers – the more blue flowers all year round, the more bees.
Placing water and bee baths around the garden will also encourage all bees to the garden and it’s as easy as placing a shallow dish with large pebbles into the water.
Canberra nature map (canberra. naturemapr.org) has good photos and information of native bees that are found in our area.
NOW’S the time to prune springflowering trees such as ornamental
cherries, plums and apricots. Prune to reduce their height and size. Most importantly, remove dead, diseased or damaged wood.
Thinning and reducing branches will ensure new growth in the future and will keep trees growing and flowering for many years.
All ornamental trees prefer a little pruning, but do not respond well to more than a third of the canopy removed at once. Little but often is the key.
Some ornamental trees can be prone to suckering. If this is the case, remove those growth stems as they will have strong growth and take over in no time.
Keep watering through the summer months as most trees have shallow root systems and it’s best not to let them dry out. Mulch and fertiliser with compost is all the annual maintenance they require.
CLEOME pink spider flower (or the cat’s whiskers) is a fastgrowing summer plant that grows to about a metre high. Its soft pink and white blooms blend well with cosmos, zinnias and other summer annuals that don’t mind the heat.
Growing them from seed is very easy. Most summer annuals are fast growing and flower in six to
eight weeks. Once established, they require very little water.
Once its flowers have waned, seedpods will appear that can be collected and stored for planting next year.
If growing from seed, sow directly in full sun and they’ll germinate quite quickly.
Thinning out seedlings is important as they will overgrow each other through the season and cause fungal issues down the track.
Snip off weak, yellow seedlings and leave the strong, green ones to grow. Overall, you will have a better flowering display. Liquid fertilise to get them growing and flowering fast.
jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au
• Prune hedges little but often and in the cool of the day.
• Sow seeds of summer crops of tomatoes, eggplants and zucchinis.
• Keep deadheading roses for more blooms.
• Plant out sunflower seeds for summer flowering.
By Helen Musa
There are very few school teachers who live to see themselves immortalised in bricks and mortar, but Joe Woodward, director of The Daramalan Theatre Company (and CityNews theatre critic), is one of them.
On October 25, the state-of-the-art Joe Woodward Theatre will be formally opened at the college in Dickson run by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart as part of the new Issoudun Performing Arts Centre, named after the place in France, where Jules Chevalier founded the MSC order in 1854.
The 180-seat theatre features a safe lighting grid, two drama rooms, a drama staffroom, make-up rooms with fancy lights, a green room and separate dressing rooms. There are also two music classrooms, 12 soundproof music practice rooms and a band room.
Almost scaringly experimental to some people, Woodward has under the aegis of his private company Shadow House PITS, run Theatre in the Car for the Multicultural Fringe, staged plays at theatres all around town, co-produced shows with the Actors Company
Educated at Villanova College in Brisbane, Woodward went to Mt Gravatt Teachers’ College, then saw himself posted for two years to a one-teacher school in Teelba in the Maranoa region, where “everyone had guns, which was kind of scary, but they were very cultured.”
Back in Brisbane, he returned to university then got a job as a professional actor and educational officer at the edgy La
position of artistic director of Jigsaw Theatre Company in Canberra and found himself catapulted into the midst of an exciting scene.
He quickly met David Bates, who now owns The Famous Spiegeltent, with whom he founded and ran Pie In The Sky Theatre and Bar (PITS) from 1981 to 1984.
Woodward estimates more than 50,000 people came to late-night gigs and 20,000
people to theatre shows.
After teaching at Stirling College, he was offered a job as director and executive officer of StageCoach Theatre School, where he stayed from 1985 to 1994, often raising eyebrows with provocative productions such as The Silent Scream and Blindfold.
All the while he continued professional connections with Human Veins Dance Company and One Extra Dance Company.
In 1994 he and his wife decided they’d make a documentary about indigenous culture, so bought a bus in which they planned to live, but the starter motor never worked.
In 1995 he set up his own performance company and staged 15 shows, but with their two children growing fast, he applied for a job at Daramalan College, which he knew regularly hosted workshops run by the National Institute of Dramatic Art.
The interviewing principal, Father Denis Uhr, knew that Woodward had little secondary teaching, but said: “I’m going to
He’s been there for nearly 17 years, 14 of them as co-ordinator of performing arts.
Woodward’s timing was perfect. Canberra had one of the most advanced education systems in the country.
He found that the school had a distinguished history of staging musicals, but really wanted to look at straight theatre.
Using Daramalan Football Club as a model, he set up Daramalan Theatre
Company, which meant the school could carry public liability and that they could roll any surplus through to the next year.
A deluge of Western theatre classics followed, including a lot of re-interpreted Shakespeare, Arthur Miller, Bertolt Brecht and Euripides, all involving preparatory school camps. Several school-leavers have got straight into NIDA.
Daramalan has been consistently supportive of Woodward’s radical approach to the theatre and he praises the humanitarian values on which MSC was founded. A deputy principal once told him that people should be allowed to fall down, but that there should always be someone there to pick them up.
When he wanted to stage his 2002 play, Cathedral Song, which included drug abuse and the concept of slaughter at the altar, the principal and brothers came back saying it was okay and that “the students need to look into themselves”.
It fascinates former altar boy Woodward that a Catholic order is more tolerant than the state system he once knew, encouraging different cultures and viewpoints.
To Joe Woodward, theatre has a place on that humanitarian spectrum, providing “the liminal relationship between the actor, the self and the character.”
“Theatre is a silent space which every so often will come alive and distill the human spirit,” he says.
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Expect the unexpected at Flow, a new restaurant that opened a few weeks back in Civic.
That’s with the fit-out, the style of food, the presentation of each dish, the wine list and, dare I say it, the flow (cool, calm and collected).
Flow’s chefs draw on internation al experience, inspired by Australian cuisine and the cuisines of several other parts of the world.
We grazed our way through smaller plates, instead of ordering larger mains, and the restaurant was happy to “go with the flow” pressing the pause button between dishes.
High-quality, pristine plump Sydney Rock Oysters are sourced from reputable East 33. Flow has fun with food and the oysters are an example, served with yuzu granita for acidity and balance, and a tiny mound of Australian finger lime (also called caviar lime) providing pops of citrus flavour ($36 for half a dozen). We applauded the innovation.
Battered zucchini blossoms arrived with Red Leicester cheese combined with peach ($7 each). The batter was super light, but don’t expect the zucchini flowers to be stuffed. Instead, dip them into the warm reddish-orange creamy cheese mixture, served in a side dish for dipping.
Next was charcoal extra jumbo king prawns, graded at U6 (which
roughly translates to fewer than six prawns per pound or about a dozen in a kilo).
The prawn heads formed a small circle in the centre of the dish and the tails danced around them. They packed a punch with fermented chilli and citrus and the prawns were lightly smoked but still super juicy ($15 each).
Leek terrine – a wonderful palette cleanser – arrived with scamorza, compressed apple and nutty dukkah ($20 for three pieces). The terrine was soft and sexy, the compressed apple powerful, but not overly so, and the thin slice of Italian cow’s milk cheese rounded matters out.
Spring Bay mussels in a dynamite tomato and spicy nduja sauce were impressive ($24). While personal preference, we agreed more fresh coriander was needed to cut through. The mussels were perfectly cooked, and our housemade ciabatta ($5 each) soaked up every bit of sauce.
For wine, we thoroughly enjoyed the Linear Fiano ($75 bottle) from Moppity Vineyard, Hilltops, NSW. This cool-climate wine, with its citrus fruitiness, is a great accompaniment to the style of food Flow creates.
We had our eye on the orange
Next time… Flow’s fit-out is sympathetic to the history of the
ing. The interior features
and oozes warmth, comfort and style. The music has been
around the best of jazz and blues and the volume is set right for comfortable dining. Service is impeccable.
they can ripen shiraz most years. The merlot and tempranillo are from our vineyard in Tumbarumba which is at 680 metres.
“I chose to call it syrah rather than shiraz, firstly because syrah is the correct name for that grape variety but secondly because it is cool-climate fruit and I wanted to differentiate the wine from traditional big-oak, big-tannin, big-alcohol shiraz.
And what’s the significance of the name On the Fly?
“We developed our vineyard in Tumbarumba starting in the late 1980s while we were having a family and working full time in Canberra,” Richard said.
that purports to know the “hottest” trends in wine in 2024 mentions the growth of chilled reds is a category that’s “gaining momentum” and indicating a “transition from traditional reds to bright, crunchy and slippery reds, perfect for sipping in the summer heat”.
I spoke about this trend and his range of wines with Richard Cottam, joint owner/operator, who runs Mount Tumbarumba Vineyard with his wife Elvie Yates.
I had noticed that the label discloses that Alex McKay, of Collector Wines fame, made this wine.
“Yes, I’ve known Alex for a long time,” Richard said. “I had managed the Quarry Hill vineyard for 12 years and, over that time, I got to know Alex.
“He knows how to make wine and, with this syrah blend, I told him I wanted to capture the flavours of the ripe grapes I was tasting when I walked the vines just before harvest.
“That’s what I got. The tempranillo really stood
out in the blend. It cries out to be matched with protein, it had slurpability, a joven, juicy style.”
Slurpability?
“Yes, it is a good descriptor for a wine like this,” said Richard. “It is all about preserving the fruit flavours and aromas, and not overpowering the fruit with oak tannins.
The percentage of varieties used in this blend isn’t disclosed on the label. I asked Richard for a break down.
“The syrah is 70 per cent then 15 per cent merlot and 15 per cent tempranillo,” he told me.
“The shiraz is from Billinudgel Vineyard, Lankeys Creek at 330 metres above sea level so
“So On the Fly is a pretty apt description of those years. It also helps that I am a keen fly fisherman.
“I am often asked how we came up with the name and the label design. I tell people that it didn’t come easily. It took me 30 years of driving up and down the Hume Highway between Tumbarumba and Canberra to come up with a name that’s now on all our wines and the current label design.”
And that reminds me of the exchange between the fly fisherman and a shop owner: Can I have a fly rod and reel for my daughter?
Sorry sir, we don’t do trades.
Dishing up yet another prestige drama with a star-stacked cast, Apple TV Plus is pulling no punches and sparing no budget in its pursuit to become a big streaming player.
Its newest drama series is called Dis claimer and it stars our own Cate Blanchett in the lead role as an award-winning journalist Catherine Ravenscroft, a hard-nosed investigative documentary maker who has built her career on uncovering the dirty deeds of others in positions of power.
But her world gets turned upside down when she finds a mysterious novel on her bedside table, one where she is the main character and which contains her own deep est and darkest secrets. Now she’s forced to find the answer to a disturbing question: who is the author?
The unraveling of these secrets threatens both her relationship with her son Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and her marriage to Robert, played by Sacha Baron Cohen in a performance that’s a far cry from the antics of Borat.
Further to the big cast is the directing talent.
Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron is behind this one and those who don’t know his name will almost certainly know his work. Roma, Gravity, Children of Men and Harry Potter to name just a few.
This eight-episode affair is everything a drama limited series should be, intriguing,
around, but if Apple can continue to keep up this kind of quality then it may just be able to get Netflix in its sights yet.
ANY show or film with the name “Stephen King” written somewhere on it is bound to attract plenty of eyeballs.
(currently streamable on Netflix).
Now Binge is trying to cash in on King’s brand, with a new adaptation of Salem’s Lot that’s just hit screens.
This story about a novelist who returns to his hometown only to find it inhabited by vampires is widely considered one of the
was met with middling reviews.
In 2004 another mini-series had a crack at
In an evening of Halloween Classics, a string quartet from Phoenix Collective will serenade visitors by candlelight at the NGA’s James Fairfax Theatre on October 31. The repertoire includes everything from Tubular Bells (the theme from The Exorcist) to the prelude from Psycho and Danse Macabre by Saint-Saëns.
On the same theme, Ali Clinch is directing Trick or Treat, billed as a one-of-a-kind Halloween com edy journey into the unknown, where the Lightbulb Improv troupe performs an unscripted show with the audience’s chosen ending. The Courtyard Studio, October 31-November 2.
I Am a New Woman is a series of screen prints by Parliament House artist-in-residence Alison Alder. The show celebrates 12 women, Catherine Spence, CE Clark, Henrietta Dugdale, Emma Miller, Rose Scott, Louisa Lawson, Vida Goldstein, Laura Harris, Pearl Gibbs,
Phoenix Collective will serenade visitors by candlelight… NGA’s James Fairfax Theatre, October 31.
Faith Bandler, and Pat Eatock, who campaigned for a more inclusive democracy. Level 1 of Parliament House, until October 2025.
Margaret Hadfield’s oil paintings from her travels to the Southern Ocean and Dennis Mortimer’s series, The Ocean and Nothing, will be seen in a collaborative exhibition at Rusten House Art Centre, Queanbeyan, October 26-November 16.
The Come Alive Festival, hosted by the National Library and the National Portrait Gallery, sees school and college students pick items from our museums and create their own piece of theatre to tell the story of the piece. This year’s festival has 10 schools presenting. Mill Theatre, Fyshwick, October 31-November 5. Inquiries to director Peter Wilkins, 0408 034373.
In Aetherial Realms: Landscapes of Light and Stillness, Kris Ancog presents a solo exhibition rooted in classical technique, where each piece is rendered in rich layers of
paint to convey sunsets, mornings and aerial vistas. Aarwun Gallery, Nicholls, until December 3.
Ex-patriate Aussie comedian Monty Franklin, who has just played his newest show, Yeah Nah, to more than a million Americans across 40 states, will play the same show at the Canberra Theatre, November 5.
Likely to pack out, Scottish master storyteller, historian, writer and broadcaster William Dalrymple’s The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World, will be at The Playhouse, November 4.
it, starring Rob Lowe and Donald Sutherland. The strong cast still wasn’t quite enough for the production to be considered top-shelf material though.
Is the third time the charm?
Sadly, 2024’s attempt is the worst yet.
The film feels rushed, low budget and without much passion for the original story. Not even Stephen King diehards are likely to find much substance here.
It seems this is yet another case of trying to lazily pump out something with prior recognition to cash in.
In the last decade, there have been flop adaptations of Pet Sematary, The Dark Tower, Firestarter and The Stand, all of which were just too eager to hop on the Stephen King hype train a little too quickly.
For every good King adaptation audiences get, it seems three more dumpster fires follow in its place in an attempt to catch the excitement while it’s hot.
It’s a shame because the source material on offer here from the master of horror himself has so much potential for great television. Churn out too many misses and the only thing people will be frightened by is the terrible review
FRIDAY 1 NOV 10am-5pm
SATURDAY 2 NOV 10am-5pm Concerts – 12noon
SUNDAY 3 NOV 12noon-5pm Concerts – 12noon Yarralumla Uniting Church Centre, Denman St, Yarralumla www.facebook.com/midwinterartsandcrafts
By Helen Musa
I spent one of the silliest theatre nights on record recently when I attended a rehearsal for Queanbeyan Players’ production, Nice Work If You Can Get It, coming up at The Q.
If the title sounds familiar, it is. That’s the name of one of George and Ira Gershwin’s most famous numbers, but the musical bear ing the same name is quite another matter.
Originally staged on Broadway in 2012, it’s a semi-modern take by Joe DiPietro on the prohibition era, with care taken to update the gender balance, giving equal weight to men and women, and full of contemporary references, so that it’s not a period piece at all.
I rolled with it, though I could hardly believe the twists and turns of the plot, which involves every theatrical cliché imaginable.
Luke Ferdinands, an actor-tenor who’s been taking the odd class with Jared Newell and at Bom Funk dance studio, plays the trig gering drunken protagonist playboy Jimmy Winters with a touch of vacuous charm and a penetrating voice.
Larger-than-life comics Duke and Cookie are played by John Whinfield and Anthony Swadling, while an inexplicable chorus of ditzy showgirls and a phalanx of dim cops swan in and out of a Gatsby-like mansion.
All this silliness is interspersed with some of the greatest hit songs ever written, with Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off, Someone
Well-known musical theatre performer and former professional opera singer Dave Smith is director and says that while he certainly has no intention of forsaking the boards permanently, getting the skills to direct is a logical extension from acting as he juggles his day job in the public service with
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He praises Queanbeyan Players for encouraging new talent while trying to get lesser-known works on stage.
Smith and his choreographer wife Kirsten saw Nice Work on Broadway in 2013 and he says it’s an incredibly well written text but that when it comes down to it, “sometimes
music is unexpected and it works,” he says. By the time I get to rehearsal, most of Kirsten’s work is done and she’s just putting the finishing touches to the high kicks of the showgirls while fine-tuning the tap-dancing skills of the men. All these skills are put to the test in the Act I curtain number, Fascinating
Rhythm, one of the hardest Gershwin pieces to play, as musical director Brigid Cummins’ band will find.
This is a romp in which the thick-headed but affable Jimmy is smart enough to catch a rich girl, Eileen Evergreen (Anna Tully), but not smart enough to spot her pretentious claims to be “the finest interpreter of modern dance in the world” – now that’s a contemporary joke if ever I heard one.
Jimmy is certainly far dimmer than the feisty female bootlegger Billie Bendix, with whom he falls in love as the plot thickens.
The part of Billie looks like a great role for Sienna Curnow, who plays a mix of wisecracking and emerging emotions as she realises she’s falling for the charming Jimmy.
Curnow, who played Mozart’s wife Constanze in Amadeus at Canberra Rep last year, thinks that the updated plot works because there’s a lot less underlying sexism in this show, which is full of strong female characters, as the roles for Kay Liddiard as Jeannie, Lillee Keating as Duchess and Fiona Hale as Millicent show.
Pat Gallagher, too, has a plum role as the hypocritical mayor/judge/father of the bride who turns out to have a shady past that leads to the contrived ending of the musical, one that puts The Comedy of Errors in the shade. For once I can say that it’s a happy ending. This is one show where you can safely put your preconceptions about history to one side and soak up the fun.
Nice Work If You Can Get It, The Q, Queanbeyan, November 1-10.
By Joanne Madeline Moore
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
Expect some highs and lows this week, Rams. Your ruler, Mars, trines Neptune and Mercury, which is terrific for creativity and communication, as you get your message out loud and clear. But Sunday’s Mars/Pluto opposition could stir up anger or resentment, especially involving work issues or a family matter. Try to release angry feelings in appropriate ways – via a good cry, a deep and meaningful talk with a friend, or a robust pillow-punching session!
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)
Bulls prefer to plod along in a methodical fashion but, this week, you could experience challenges and disruptions! Saturn squares your ruler, Venus, and Mercury opposes Uranus (in your sign), so life could be stressful and unpredictable. If you prioritise and are mentally flexible, then you’ll handle the hurly-burly with less stress and strain. Close relationships are also in a state of New Moon flux. The more adaptable you are, the better the final outcome will be.
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
You could become anxious, as your daily routine is disrupted in some way or your enthusiasm for a work project could overtake your ability to knuckle down and get the job done. If you promise more than you can deliver, then other people will just end up disappointed. So slow down and listen to the wisdom of your inner voice – it will point you in the direction that’s right for you. Being creative and proactive will also lead to success and satisfaction.
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
This week a child, teenager, friend or lover could shock you by making a surprise move, or a group project could suddenly veer off in an unexpected direction. If you keep your adaptability muscles well-flexed, then you’ll adjust to the constantly changing landscape accordingly. With peace planet Venus visiting your job zone, stop sulking and stewing over a perceived slight from a work colleague, client or customer. It’s time to cooperate, compromise and sympathise!
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
Leos love to be Top Cat, but this week you need to ask yourself: “Am I leading others or just bossing them around?” If you power ahead without considering other people, then you’ll create unnecessary chaos and disruption. Do your best to accommodate the needs of those around you. Life will also run more smoothly if you incorporate a spiritual ritual into your daily domestic routine. Something like yoga, tai chi, chanting, meditation or creative visualisation.
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
When it comes to the way you think, blast out of a boring rut and jump into an exciting new phase. Use your imagination and think outside the box as the Sun, New Moon, Mercury and Uranus activate your communication zone. So stop avoiding issues and start discussing what you really want and need. You can’t expect other people to magically read your mind! For some clever Virgos, a joint venture or a creative online project has the potential to fly.
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
The week starts with taskmaster Saturn squaring your patron planet, Venus, which could increase self-criticism and your obsession with perfection. Then Friday’s New Moon illuminates your self-esteem zone, when it’s a good time to boost your confidence, be the authentic you, and celebrate your so-called flaws! The New Moon and Mercury-Uranus opposition also highlight the importance of having a smart savings’ plan and a well-stocked emergency fund.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
This week the Sun, New Moon and Mercury are transiting through your sign. And the Mercury/Uranus and Mars/Pluto oppositions could disrupt relationships and rattle your resilience. But it’s time to bounce back, as you demonstrate (and celebrate) your strengths – including courage and persistence. Your motto is from Scorpio actress Julia Roberts (who turns 57 on Monday): “I’m better for all the things that have happened to me, the good and the bad.”
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
Sagittarians can be feisty folk, but don’t allow yourself to be drawn into a heated exchange this week (especially involving family and/or finances). It would be better to watch the fireworks from the sidelines. With the Sun, New Moon and Mercury visiting your privacy zone, slow down and chill out as you relax, rejuvenate and contemplate. After some quality ‘me-time’ and soulful reflection, you’ll start to see things from a refreshing new perspective.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
The week starts with a tricky Venus/Saturn square, which could exacerbate a relationship issue or a financial problem. With the Sun, New Moon and Mercury visiting your hopes-and-wishes zone, it’s important to have ambitious long-term goals that you’re working towards. You’ll have to be patient, though, as you focus on bringing your dreams down to earth via a practical plan. Then – when everything is in place – you’ll know the perfect time to pounce.
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
The Mercury/Uranus opposition suggests a house move, family drama, uninvited guests dropping in or some other kind of domestic disruption. And some Aquarians could experience changes at work. Whatever happens, strive to get the balance right between your public life and your private responsibilities. The planets also push you to reinvent a professional relationship. Just be careful you don’t get carried away and throw the baby out with the bathwater.
PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
Are your aspirations for the future ambitious enough? The current stars favour ruminating over big-picture ideas. And there’s no room for false modesty or passive Piscean procrastination as you enjoy talking, texting, posting, promoting, socialising and circulating. The terrific Mars/Neptune trine encourages you to come up with a creative plan, and then pursue it. An unwelcome surprise could unsettle you, so hold tight and expect the unexpected!
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2024
4 Who, in Greek Legend, was the twin brother of Castor? (6)
7 Which Asian republic was formerly known as Ceylon? (3,5)
8 What is a delicate piece of food? (6)
9 What relates to the science of sounds? (8)
11 What, in Bridge, is a hand without trumps? (7)
13 Name a pioneer of any great moral reform. (7)
15 What is a conceited, boastful person? (7)
17 Who, in two-up, tosses the coins? (7)
20 What might we call an unbeliever? (8)
23 A person of experience in some profession is known colloquially as an old ...? (6)
24 Name an edible North American freshwater turtle. (8)
25 What describes a deplorably unfortunate person? (6)
1 Who discovered Greenland, ... the Red? (4)
2 What are visible particles of water, suspended high in the air? (6)
3 What is a single thing known as? (4)
4 Which piece of material is used to mend a hole? (5)
5 Which Bohemian village was destroyed, and all its male inhabitants murdered by the Nazis in 1942? (6)
6 Name a particular type of Rugby. (5)
9 Name a contrivance for calculating. (6)
10 What is a frozen danger to shipping. (7)
12 What describes something strikingly unusual or colourful? (6)
14 Which chess piece is shaped like a horse’s head? (6)
16 Name the Dutch navigator responsible for the European discovery of Tasmania and New Zealand, Abel ... (6)
18 Who was the leader of the group of apostles? (5)
19 Which planet is third in order from the sun? (5)
21 Name an early Roman emperor, notorious for his cruelty and corruption? (4)
22 Name the Egyptian goddess of fertility and nature. (4)
In the mid-year economic statement (MYEFO) in December, the treasurer announced that the general interest charge (GIC) and shortfall interest charge (SIC) deductions would be removed effective from July 1 2025.
Ironically, the ATO is now paying interest to taxpayers who pay their tax early. But for those who pay late, particularly small businesses and sole traders, most of whom are currently struggling, the deduction will be denied.
If you pay your tax late you are charged GIC or SIC if you incorrectly self-assess the amount of tax you owe. The proposed legislation will deny you the ability to claim these charges as deductions.
Paying GIC to the ATO is very expensive, currently 11.38 per cent. Making it non-deductible means that it will be an even bigger impost on small businesses at a time when inflation and general market conditions are causing more difficulties than I have seen during my 37 years in practice.
Every day I talk to clients who tell me how hard it is, how their sales have gone down and how they're having difficulty making ends meet and paying their tax.
The Commissioner of Taxation does have a discretion to remit GIC and SIC in extenuating circumstances. However, recently the ATO is taking a much harder line on remissions. And, of course, with the higher interest charges, due to recent interest rate rises, this will just make it that much more difficult for businesses that are struggling.
One of the difficulties with this proposal is the short time frame. With 18 months lead time from the announcement this is too short. Often businesses make payment arrangements over two years. Had there been a longer lead time it is fair to say that some businesses may have taken an alternative approach to paying their tax debt. If you have a payment arrangement with the ATO and discover partway through the time period that the interest is no longer deductible it can put a big dent in budgets and cash flows.
There is, of course another option for those small businesses –borrow from an alternative source, which could make the interest tax deductible. However, in most small businesses the directors already have their houses on the line as collateral and for sole traders who are struggling they may not be able to secure funds. This would make the cost of borrowing very high. It seems this is just the wrong time to introduce this measure.
Then there is, of course, the question of existing tax debt that many businesses may have and without adequate repayment arrangements. Making a payment arrangement is a fairly simple process if the debt is less than $200,000 and can be done over the phone. You may be required to give estimates of your cash flow, future cash flow and future earnings so that the ATO can assess your capacity to repay. Even so you are still borrowing from the ATO and the interest will cease to be deductible in July 2025. If you default on a payment arrangement or you have already defaulted you may have a problem making another payment arrangement.
I appreciate that the ATO has to protect the revenue, but there are times like this when the actions do not seem to fit the current economic climate. At the end of the day this is not the fault of the affected small businesses.
If you have a debt and you receive a director penalty notice, talk to your accountant immediately. Legal action can be taken against you as a director to recover the debt.
If you are a sole trader and you have a debt, the ATO can garnishee the debt from your bank account. So it is really important that you take action now on any tax debt that you have.
If you need help with tax debt or any other tax matter contact the experts at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on 02 6295 2844.
Disclaimer
This column contains general advice, please do not rely on it. If you require specific advice on this topic please contact Gail Freeman or your
Winnunga Nimmityjah AHCS is an Aboriginal community controlled primary health care service operated by the Aboriginal community of the ACT.
In Wiradjuri language, Winnunga Nimmityjah means Strong Health. The service logo is the Corroboree Frog which is significant to Aboriginal people in the ACT.
Our aim is to provide a culturally safe, holistic health care service for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the ACT and surrounding regions. The holistic health care provided by Winnunga AHCS includes not only medical care, but a range of programs to promote good health and healthy lifestyles.
Our services include:
• GP and Nursing
• Midwifery
• Immunisations
• Health Checks
• Men’s & Women’s Health
• Hearing Health
• Dental
• Physiotherapy
• Podiatry
• Dietician (Nutrition)
• Counselling
• Diabetes Clinic
• Quit Smoking Services / No More Boondah
• Needle Syringe Program
• Mental Health Support
• Healthy Weight Program
• Healthy Cooking Group
• Mums and Bubs Group / Child Health
• Optometry Service
• Psychology and Psychiatrist
• Community Events
• Groups
Winnunga AHCS is a national leader in accreditation, was one of the first Aboriginal community controlled health services to achieve dual accreditation under RACGP and QIC standards. Winnunga AHCS has been at the forefront of setting a national agenda for quality improvement in Aboriginal community controlled health and continues to advocate locally and nationally for best practice standards in operational and governance areas of Aboriginal health services.
CLINIC hours | MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9am-5pm
Ph: 6284 6222 | 63 Boolimba Cres, Narrabundah www.winnunga.org.au
